Info Proper Bench Technique

itsallaboutheL

Hit Me.......

itsallaboutheL

Basically i reckon my form is ****te and definatly not consistant, i reckon my shoulders are doing way too much work and i'm having trouble keeping my back muscles fired during the negative phase. altho my DB benching im resonably happy with, i seem to be able to get into a much more powerful position, which i think has to do with being able to manipulate my body into the desired position while the weight is above my chest which i cant do with the bench coz id end up dropping the bar and destroying my beautiful face.....................

Brian?

Roper(I think) posted this a while back, it works for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B_qrgiqm2Y&feature=player_embedded

kevpants

Thats a good vid. Very good explanation of pushing through with your back in an arch. The only thing about it is his heels are up. If you are gonna start powerlifting (log title..) you can't do that, it also gets rid off the tightness in your legs, glutes etc.

If Will had kept his feet in the same position as in the screenshot attached but driven his heels down and into the ground, he'd get the sensation of leg drive. I never fully understood this concept until recently but once you do it you'll wonder how you survived without it.

Eh also on his comment about taking max effort stuff out wider than the rings, grip-wise, no wonder his shoulder is fubbared if his elbows are in the position he was demonstrating. Maybe I picked him up wrong.

Sure take vid and stick it up.

I would like to add that although I will advise on bench, I still suck at it, but in my defence I know why I suck!

foxirl

Seems like I have been benching incorrectly after viewing thoses videos. My main problem is the bench is too high off the ground so therfore I cant put my feet on the ground and therfore arching the back poses a problem also. I'm 5'8'' and the Bench is the Heavy FID one from Irish Lifting so I thought it would be fine for benching. Any ideas on what I can do?

Theresalwaysone

foxirl wrote: »

Seems like I have been benching incorrectly after viewing thoses videos. My main problem is the bench is too high off the ground so therfore I cant put my feet on the ground and therfore arching the back poses a problem also. I'm 5'8'' and the Bench is the Heavy FID one from Irish Lifting so I thought it would be fine for benching. Any ideas on what I can do?

Put books under your feet?

Wooden blocks? I dunno, logical solution would be finding something to make the ground under your feet higher... i.e. blocks or books or anything else sturdy and wide.

foxirl

Ya I'll try the blocks but you would think these benches would be a standard height to allow you to put your feet on the ground. You would need to be over 6' to get your feet on teh ground with the bench I have.

Roper

I don't think I posted that vid but maybe I did and I forgot.

kevpants wrote: »

Eh also on his comment about taking max effort stuff out wider than the rings, grip-wise, no wonder his shoulder is fubbared if his elbows are in the position he was demonstrating. Maybe I picked him up wrong.

Unless he was bench pressing when he fell off the cliff I don't think that's why his shoulder is FUBARed. Think you picked him up wrong.

MagicMarker

I don't understand how you can't put your feet on the ground at 5'8?

Either you're doing something wrong, or your bench is abnormally huge!!

Roper

In fairness i have a very high bench in my gym and some of the midget males and girls have to use blocks.

Gaz

Yeah I have that bench and it is quite high alright, being 6 foot 1 im fine on the press but even still i find it a bit high for bent over dumbbell rows.

foxirl

Roper wrote: »

In fairness i have a very high bench in my gym and some of the midget males and girls have to use blocks.

5'8'' - I'm not tall but I wouldn't count myself a midget.

Killme00

Roper wrote: »

In fairness i have a very high bench in my gym and some of the midget males and girls have to use blocks.

Im 5'9 and a half and find that bench too high

kevpants

Roper wrote: »

I don't think I posted that vid but maybe I did and I forgot.
Unless he was bench pressing when he fell off the cliff I don't think that's why his shoulder is FUBARed. Think you picked him up wrong.

Yeah but what position were his elbows in when he fell off the cliff? Key question.

foxirl

Just measured the bench and it's 23'' from floor to seat. Can some one let me know what these is to see if mine is higher than standard. Thanks

Roper

kevpants wrote: »

Yeah but what position were his elbows in when he fell off the cliff? Key question.

I'm going to assume the standard falling position:

floggg

Roper wrote: »

I'm going to assume the standard falling position:

Maybe it was the recoil from his gun that did his shoulder as he shot despairingly at the wife beater clad cop who threw him off said cliff?

gnolan

I've read a good bit about about bench press technique; arching your back, squeezing your shoulder blades together and leg-drive. But i'm wondering, are these techniques purely designed for lifting maximum weight.

Say you're goal is muscle development, so you'll be lifting high reps, are you better off without any arch, keeping your back in a neutral position, and using minimal leg-drive? It is the chest, arms and shoulders you'd be targetting after all. You're chest would be lower without the arch, so you're putting in more effort having to lower and raise the bar a few extra inches.

Am i right in saying that the idea of the arch (Collins arch??) is aimed at, and really only necessary for powerlifters? To complete a legal lift the bar has to touch the chest, but shoulders and ass have to touch the bench?

I've gone a bit off the point, but really what i'd like to know is, if i'm training for size, should i keep my back flat?!

Roper

Only have a sec or two but look up CNS as it applies to strength, then there's stimulation of fast twitch fibres etc. all of which leads to the heavier the load the better. That being said there are some coaches who insist on backs being flat to the bench.

kevpants

gnolan wrote: »

I've gone a bit off the point, but really what i'd like to know is, if i'm training for size, should i keep my back flat?!

No.

The arch, leg drive etc are the most effective way to bench and you can handle greater weight once you learn it. Then as Roper said, more weight = good.

The bench isn't a chest isolation exercise so don't turn it into one. The arch helps you to squeeze you shoulder blades together and down which brings your lats etc into it.

You won't see someone who can bench 1.5 times bodyweight who doesn't have a thick chest and back.

People need to stop making this assumption of "That's ok if you're a powerlifter, but I'm looking for muscle development". I'm a powerlifter and I spend my whole week looking for muscular development! I wonder when the pec-dec size > strength crew in the gyms will start to wonder why the people looking for strength > size are bigger than they are?

I'm not trying to aim this at you gnolan, it's just the wannabe bodybuilders have done a good job of spreading their misinformation so I just want to clear up that point for you.

gnolan

kevpants wrote: »

No.

The arch, leg drive etc are the most effective way to bench and you can handle greater weight once you learn it. Then as Roper said, more weight = good.

The bench isn't a chest isolation exercise so don't turn it into one. The arch helps you to squeeze you shoulder blades together and down which brings your lats etc into it.

You won't see someone who can bench 1.5 times bodyweight who doesn't have a thick chest and back.

People need to stop making this assumption of "That's ok if you're a powerlifter, but I'm looking for muscle development". I'm a powerlifter and I spend my whole week looking for muscular development! I wonder when the pec-dec size > strength crew in the gyms will start to wonder why the people looking for strength > size are bigger than they are?

I'm not trying to aim this at you gnolan, it's just the wannabe bodybuilders have done a good job of spreading their misinformation so I just want to clear up that point for you.

Thanks. I'm not one of those people, or at least i don't think i am. I think i'd have a lot of trouble reverting to flat benching at this stage so I'm happy you've cleared that up.

Vivian Reckless

For what is worth I think this is a better video with a better explanation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B_qrgiqm2Y

Hanley

briankeating wrote: »

Roper(I think) posted this a while back, it works for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B_qrgiqm2Y&feature=player_embedded

Vivian Reckless wrote: »

For what is worth I think this is a better video with a better explanation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B_qrgiqm2Y

Am I missing something?

Kev M

It depends what your objective for benching is... There's many ways to bench "properly"... Once you've got your chest up, midsection tight, and feet firmly grounded, nothing should go too wrong.